


13: Bad Decisions

by torasame



Category: Naruto
Genre: M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-13
Updated: 2019-10-13
Packaged: 2020-12-14 10:27:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 679
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21014261
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/torasame/pseuds/torasame
Summary: Itachi met his eyes over the unfillable depression that separated the two. They stared back in innocence, confusion and the inklings for anguish- he kept his eyes shut.





	13: Bad Decisions

**Author's Note:**

> Let's hope I actually try and finish this story.

Itachi was thirteen.

He was thirteen when he chose to give up everything for the biased race called time. He was thirteen when he woke up with an increasingly heavy burden on his shoulders each and every day. He was thirteen and yet he was an adult- thirteen and a killer. Thirteen and unlucky.

Sasuke was eight.

His younger brother was eight and bursting with the joy he never really knew at that age. Sasuke was eight and he instead of playing with the other kids, he pestered Itachi to train him in the woods. Sasuke was eight and he faced the world with his head high, full of knowledge and childlike innocence. Sasuke was eight, and he had already gotten a glimpse of the bar raised far too high above his head. He was eight and small, trying to jump for the bars as best as he could. Sasuke was a child and he was confused, pained and ashamed for falling into the ground and still unable to reach the expectations set for him. Sasuke was eight when he realized that bar was set by Itachi.

But Itachi was thirteen and out of time. He couldn't stay behind to destroy the bar so that Sasuke would never have to live up to it- so he wouldn't waste his life trying to reach it. He was just thirteen and he didn't have the time to spare for his little brother.

Itachi was thirteen. 

Sasuke was eight. 

There was a five year age gap that seemed wider with the chasm Itachi left in-between. He threw all the dreams he had into it, he buried it six deep under and made sure Sasuke would never dig it up. It was a gap left uncrossable. Someday, Sasuke would build a bridge over it and cross to the other side, never to look for what lies underneath.

Itachi met his eyes over the unfillable depression that separated the two. They stared back in innocence, confusion and the inklings for anguish- he kept his eyes shut.

Only to open them and stuck at thirteen.

\-----

Itachi fiddled with the kunai in his fingers. He heard the full thuds in the distance, the piercing of several targets straight in the bull's eye. He heard his name being called. "Itachi?"

Shisui was fifteen when he materialized before him.

Itachi shook his head, something was off but he couldn't quite place it. "I'm sorry, I was just thinking." He spotted a bird settle on one of the targets. Shisui offered his hand to him.

"We should head back."

Itachi took his hand and didn't look back.

\-----

"Big brother!"

Itachi didn't have time to move before his legs were immobilized by Sasuke's smaller frame. He narrowed his eyes at Shisui who decided it was a good time to snicker not-so-subtly. Sasuke looked up at him with an expression similar to that of their Shiba Inu when he wanted their attention.

"Can you train with me today? You promised you would!" The expression always seemed to lead to heartbreak whenever he walked past their dog and when he had to let down Sasuke. Itachi put his middle and pointer finger together and poked Sasuke's forehead lightly. Shisui looked as though he was willing to offer some sympathy but his younger brother seemed to have internalized it enough and probably wouldn't have appreciated the sentiment.

"Sorry Sasuke, maybe some other time."

In the split second the world began to go white, Itachi kept his eyes wide open. He took in the blinding light that engulfed the world around him. The words morphed and rang in his ears which forced his eyes shut. 

He shot up in cold sweat. When had he laid down? Had he been knocked back by some great force? He stumbled onto the tatami floor, his legs still wrapped in the blanket of his futon. It felt like deja vu but he was sure it never happened twice. Itachi glanced at the clock, glaring past the streaks of sunlight that crept through his window.

Itachi was still thirteen.

**Author's Note:**

> So I did a thing? Yeah it's short w out context yet but I wanted to get this up for shisuiita week. It'll start to (hopefully) make sense soon because I'm still polishing some stuff. Thanks for making it through this really short bit of a wack prompt I came up with which will be more evident soon enough.
> 
> The title is a reference to Bastille's song "Bad Decisions" in the DOOMS D∆YS album go listen to it if you haven't already.


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